Wednesday, January 11, 2012

THANK YOU for your comments and encouragement through our kitchen rennovation...I was blessed!

We started the kitchen project December 8, 2011 and the counter was in place the twentieth (a wonderful b-day present!) and the kitchen was in use the next day! By seven of that morning, the cupboards were bare and by four-thirty, they were out with some minor repairs done. I'm not exactly sure why the dish drain filled with dishes was there other than it was proof positive that this last time I washed dishes in the old kitchen! :)Here are pics of the before.

Today, the kitchen is MUCH more organized and functional!

We added a floor to ceiling cabinet on one end and a broom/cleaning cabinet on the other end. Though this took away counter space, it gave me more storage which I really like! To the left of the sink is the wastebasket drawer; in the 'before,' it sat in the open below the window. In the cupboard above it, I asked for an electrical outlet inside the cupboard for the smaller appliances, which sit on a pull-out drawer. It's very handy, as it's sturdy enough to simply pull it out and use it without having to plug it in every time.

The double doors beside it have pull-out drawers for the pots and pans, another very handy feature.

Above that is the silverware, etc drawer.

I LOVE the under-the-counter sink!

To the right of the sink is a long narrow cupboard that is an excellent place for cookie sheets and other tall, narrow items. The corner holds a gigantic lazy susan that holds a lot of awkward items.

To the left of the stove are my 'company dishes.'

The refrigerator was moved over eighteen inches to put a broom/cleaning closet on the end, with the opening facing the dinning room so I could use all of the long, narrow space that is often wasted space. I REALLY like this feature - it's close by and so handy!

Subway tile is all and more than what it's touted to be - I love, love its clean look! I also really like the under-the-cupboard lights...they're the first to be turned on when I'm working in the kitchen. I wanted to leave the corner to decorate and this is what it looks like for now. The blue enamel pan is a thrift find and filled with dish cloths and towels. The old silverware is used at special times and the pictures in the apothecary jar are of my brother and myself when we were babies.

This pendant light is a gift from our contractor, who is a family friend. I'll do her in another post - believe me, the before looked quite sad!

Here is a peek of a cupboard that was going to be an island but is pushed against the wall now - I'll post more on this later.

Simply perfect. I love it. So fresh and crisp. And, putting that cabinet on the end of your fridge? Pure. Genius. I hate seeing the sides of appliances, so it solved that problem and looks fabulous as you enter the room. GREAT job.

Do you know what’s impressive about your kitchen? It has optimal access, where everything is close to hand and in sight. You can see all the drawers and cabinet doors, which you can easily open. The cabinets are space-savers too! And because of these, you get to maximize the space in your kitchen.